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The Broken Hummingbird

A Novel

Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

In the midst of a marital crisis, Jane hatches an unusual plan to avoid a custody battle, the thing she most fears: she convinces husband Kevin to walk away from the pressures of New York—in particular, her demanding job and an affair she almost had—in the hope that moving to their favorite city abroad will fix their family.

In San Miguel de Allende, Jane and her young sons delight in new adventures, but Kevin still seethes. Jane befriends a circle of intriguing women and helps two girls who remind her of the brother she abandoned when her own parents divorced. After witnessing violence involving the girls’ father, Jane’s vivid dreams, possibly guided by a hummingbird messenger from the hereafter, grow ever darker. When tragedy strikes San Miguel, the community fractures and then rises, and Jane must make a dangerous choice. The Broken Hummingbird balances the raw undoing of a marriage with the joys of discovery that lie in building a new life.

About The Author

Ann Marie Jackson is the award-winning author of The Broken Hummingbird and a columnist for Mexico News Daily. Jackson is also co-founder of microlending organization Mano Amiga and former Vice President of Casita Linda, which builds homes for families living in extreme poverty in central Mexico. Early in her career, after earning degrees from Stanford and Harvard, Jackson joined the U.S. Department of State to promote human rights in China and other East Asian and Pacific Island nations. She has worked with Human Rights Watch, A Better Chance, and Internews to further social justice causes and advance respect for human rights. A portion of the proceeds from book sales benefit Casita Linda and Mano Amiga. A native of Seattle, Washington, Jackson resides in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (October 3, 2023)
  • Length: 328 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781647425609

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Raves and Reviews

2024 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Literary Fiction and Women’s Fiction
2024 IPPY Awards Silver Winner in Cover Design (Fiction)
2023 Sarton Awards Shortlist: Contemporary Fiction
2023 American Fiction Awards Finalist in Best New Fiction and Women’s Fiction
2023 International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Women’s Fiction

“A mother’s love is powerful beyond measure in a world where domestic violence touches every circle of society. With colorful intensity, Ann Marie Jackson speaks truthfully of San Miguel de Allende: its impressive traditions and cultural strength as well as the inevitable frictions within a community formed of people from every corner of the world who face the excruciating pain of loss. This novel makes the reader feel emotion with every fiber of their being.”—CAMILA SÁNCHEZ BOLAÑO, Editor-in-chief, Newsweek en Español

“Rich symbolism complements the strong plotline of this inspirational novel...psychologically profound and realistic, The Broken Hummingbird is a remarkable debut from a talented author.”—Readers' Favorite Review, 5 STARS

“With visually rich prose, Ann Marie Jackson tells a moving tale of a woman’s resilience and reinvention through the eyes of an expat in the beautiful but complicated city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.”—Brian Crewe, award-winning film director

“A deep, delightful read! Spanning the parallel worlds of privilege and poverty in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson’s The Broken Hummingbird captures the heartbreak of a dissolving marriage alongside the joys of making a difference in others’ lives as well as one’s own.”—Lucie Frost, satirist

“This story beautifully illustrates the power of connection. The author’s deep love and respect for the culture of her adopted country shine through in her writing. Bravo!”—Deanna Singh, author of Actions Speak Louder, Purposeful Hustle, and A Smart Girl’s Guide: Race and Inclusion

“With insider’s knowledge, Ann Marie Jackson writes with nuance and panache about the agony and the ecstasy of 21st-century expat life in San Miguel de Allende. Her debut novel is vivid, moving, and highly entertaining.”—Gina Hyams, author of In a Mexican Garden

The Broken Hummingbird shimmers with the iridescent beauty of San Miguel de Allende. In this well-crafted story of a woman determined to help a family in need while at the same time struggling to build a rich and authentic life for herself and her sons, Jackson succeeds in depicting the harsh realities of domestic violence, the complexities of a broken marriage, the significance of community support, and the comfort and strength found in enduring friendships. Boldly honest yet tender at the core—a novel with something important to say.”—Debra Thomas, author of Luz

“With vivid and colorful descriptions, Ann Marie Jackson renders a vibrant literary canvas that transports the reader to the enchanting land of Mexico’s treasured San Miguel de Allende. While there, we witness the transformation of a woman who, surrounded by the strength of her close friends and community—as well as through her own focused determination—is able to rise above the pain of a broken marriage and restore her spirit to what it once was.”—Jessica Winters Mireles, author of Lost in Oaxaca

“Women from two worlds, coexisting in San Miguel de Allende, are empowered in different ways while depending on each other far more than one might suspect. Jackson provides a richly detailed depiction of place as well as a close, careful study of tragedy and triumph in these women’s lives.”—Lucina Kathmann, vice president emerita of PEN International, representative to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and author of Para Que Nos Escuchen/To Make Ourselves Heard and Private Spaces, Public Places: A Woman at Home in the World

“A powerful story beautifully told, both lyrical and compelling. This book is for anyone who has ever felt their world coming apart and chosen to embrace a courageous journey forward. Here is one woman’s story that you do not want to miss.” —Jan Baross, author of José Builds a Woman

“...sensitive...feminist...empowering...Handling the difficult subjects of immigration, charity, and abuse with care, The Broken Hummingbird focuses on a community of activists in Mexico that changes a family’s life…and a woman who comes into her own…when pushed to take back the power she has ceded.”FOREWORD CLARION REVIEW

“It is hard to distill the soul of a place as unique as San Miguel de Allende, but if any book has achieved that, it’s The Broken Hummingbird by Ann Marie Jackson. Full of beautiful imagery and symbolism . . . I adored this book. If you’ve ever considered starting life afresh after disappointment, you don’t want to miss this lyrical, emotional read.”—LAINEY CAMERON, award-winning author and host of The Best of Women's Fiction podcast

“Nothing is glossed over in this captivating novel… It captures the complexities of our times, told with candor and poetry. This carefully woven tale of the extremes of social inequality, fear and courage, and life’s innate gift of renewal offers both lyrical prose and an intensity of emotion and suspense that will keep you turning the page.”—Katy Grabel, author of The Magician’s Daughter

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